Wave power generator



- 1 A.y H. oLsspN Y WAVE PUWER GENERATOR s shears-m t 1 Filed. July s.A 1922 l i .I i Il 'Il |1111 .A Obs'aallq Aug. 25, 192s. l

` H. -oLssoN wAvs'rowan Genannox File@ July 5. 1922 a sheets-ani s 'maxilar 5..111 01660 www. w

` Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

UNITED l12,551,i13 PATENT OFFICE.-

' ANDERS muesli oLssoN, or LInKoPING, SWEDEN. Y

IAVE POWER GENERATOR Application filed .Tuzy 3 1822.

T o all '1c/710m it may concern:

Be it known that l, ANDERS H1: :una OLS- soN, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing; at Lidkoping, Sweden, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in lVa-ve Power Generators, of which the following is a specification.

The recovery of the energy accumulated by the wind inthe water waves rolling in toward the shores of seas and lakes is a problem of the 4utmost importance, particularly nowadays when the lack of coal is felt` more and more inconvenient. Various methods for the solution of this problem have been suggested in the course of time, but, as far as is known, none of these proposed solutions has hitherto led to the result desired. e

The present invention vrelates to a wave power generator which is constructed with respect to the nature `of the wave motion and which, therefore, is believed to Vhold good in practice and to be capable of recovering the energy of the water waves 1n an entirely satisfactory manner.y

It has been observedthat in a wave motion in the water, the wave does not bring about any flow on the surface of the water if the depth of the water exceeds a cert-ain value. lf on the other hand the water is of a shallow depth the wave is caused to break, that is, a disturbance or stirring*r action takes place in the whole body of the wave from the bottom up to Athe surface which results in the flowing or surging laterally7 of the surface and in the 'strata of the water adjacent the surface.

This fio'w is commonly known as breakage and-it is to recover the energy from the breakers that the present invention is de-j signed.

The invention may be saidv tov consist briefiy of one or more bucket wheels and of oneor more floats, the latter being movf ably disposed with respect to the bucket-- or turbine wheels and constructed in such mannerthat they will assume such a position relatively to the bucketor turbine wheels, through the action of the waves,

that a guiding -deviceprdvided inthe float or the oats, or suitably connected therewith. leads in the water onto the driving*t members of the wheels.

The arrangement is preferably carried out in such a fashion that the float or fioats may be arranged so as to be rotatable on or Serial No. 572,655.

co-axial with the axis of the bucketor tur? bine wheel or wheels, the wave power generator being:a in its entirety mounted so that the depth under the turbine wheel, counted freni the level et the quiet water, .is equal tothe average height of the wave-ridges..

occurring'. The bottoni, which has to' be level underneath the turbine wheel, is .shaped so as to be slanting from this place toward either side, in parallel to the direction of the wave motion. y

The accompanying: drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 1 shows the wave power generator in elevation; Fig. 2 is an end view thereof; Fig. 3 shows the same in plan view; Fig. 4. is an enlarged longitudinal sectional detail of one of the plates and the turbine wheel, and Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line 5--5 of Fig'. -t inthe direction at which the arrow points.

ihe frame l, which is movably connected with a shaft 2 mounted on a foundation, is extended over the surface of the water and is carried at its outer end by a float 3 which is rotatably mounted about-.the shaft 4. On-

the same shaft the turbine wheel 5 is at tached and 1s arranged within a chamber .in the ioat 3, A channel 1s also provided in the float and extends from the chamber toV kletter a'iwillbe' inwardly and downwardly inclined withv respect to the level of the v-:atcr whenl quiet. The turbine wheel is connected by' means ofa crank and piston rod arrangement- 7 direct to two doubleacting pumps T located one on either side of the frame. Situated immediately above hose pumps are' two-additional pumps 8,'

which are also double-acting, these latterl pumps being connected direct to the floatbv means of the pieton rods; which are pvotally connected at the outer ends to the float as at' 8. The pumps 7 and S are each combined wlth and Operate on the same valve'chamber 9, from which the waward the =(,ienerator it will first. hit the midter is beine suckedup through the pipes l0 and then prcssedoiit through the pipes l1 and the shaft 2. which is provided with a boi-e hole, and through the pipe 1'12 coinmunicatin; vv with a waterreservoir or a water storer. The frame l isconnected directlv as by rods 13 with two double-act ing pumps 13 delivering their water through the pipes 1l tothe sainev reservoir as the pipes 12.

`ll'hen a water wave is coming: rollingy todle part ot' the float 3. The l'ront'portion ot,l ich middle part, which is so constructed that the waves can never turn over, then adjusts itself a'itei the 1"'orthiunni'ner wave, which will result.. partitv in vthe floaty being swung around 'its axis so as te ass-unie an' oblique position with respect to its original position, and, partly in the float and, therefore. the iree end et the whole generator is swung in the opposite direction and at. the same time commences to sink. Pumps S and 13 are then a lfain brought into operation. but in the reversed direction of movfef ment.. w

The water reservoir mayy consist either ot a tree bodi7 of water situated at a suit' able level above the wave power generator.

or oic :i closed chamber into which the water is pressed under pressure.' ln both cases the ener;f i may be easil)7 recovered b v means of' common water motors which. evidently, may rotate at` a constant speed. The en# taigy of these motors ma)7 be consumed eitlie iniinediatel)v on the spot, or it. may be trans- 'ferred into electrical energy to be consumed atdistant places.

To adapt the wave power generator for :ill waves within certain limits, it Iis found suitable to arrange the bottom under the turbine wheel adjustablev Yfor differentdepths so that the waves-'are always caused .to .break immediately above the turbine wheel. A

' ln piace oiwater pumps.. air compression pumps majT evidentlY be used as well. 'lhc water reservoir or water st orer must then be replaced b v an air storer from which the energy ma;v then be recovered directly b v suitable means adapted for the purpose in view, or this energyv ina).Y be transferred to some other form of energy.. The air- 2 i i v1,551,111#

pumps ma;i also be permit-ted toyoperate dire/:tlv on a .mechanical accumulator of some kind which. in turn, transmitsthe energy.' obtained trom-the wave powei-generator directlyv into electrical energy.

It is obvious that the wave power genera tors which, as a rule, should be. mounted at a, comparatively vshort dist-ance from shore, may bc combined so that two or more of them operate on the same storer.

lVliat I claim as new and desire to secure America is:- .i

by Letters Patent of the United States of l. A wave power zfrenerator including a pivotcd frame. a turbine wheel on the outer end ot the trame, a float supportinzg the frame and movable relatively to the tur- 1 I -V l u o time wheel, and a ,eguide provided in the i'loat. said float being responsive to the waves in such a manner that it will assume a position relative to the surface of the water so that. the water is guided directly i aeainsttlie driviiior portion of the turbine wheel.

:2. A wave power `generator as claimed in claii'n l. wherein the turbine is mounted on :i shaft and the float is rotatable about the shaft..

3. A wave power generator as claimed in claim l, wherein the' surface of each float which leads the water to the turbine is in such a position above the water level when quiet that it will be substantially forwardly and downwardly inclined to the surface of i the water.

et. A wave power generator as claimed `:in claim l, wherein a fixed foundationis employed and wherein the frame has the inner end swingablv connected with the foundat-ion. i

5. A wave power `generator as claimed in claim l, wherein a pair of pumps are ar- .ranged on opposite sides of the turbine,y

operable connections between the pumps aud the axis of the turbine wheel and pressure pipes establishing communication between the pumps for conducting the water .from the pumpsto a receiver.

kG. A wave power generator vas claimed in claim 1, y'wherein a plurality of pumps are rig-idly mounted on the frame, and operable connections between the pumps and the float whereby oscillations of the {ioat in response to theinotionv of the waves effects operation of thepumps.

7. A wave 'power generator :is claimed in claim l, wherein a" pluralit;1 of reciprocatiiigf pumps are employed, and connections between the frame and the pumps whercb)y the upward and downward movements of the frame are imparted to the pumps for operating the same.

ture.

' ANDERS vHILMER OLSSON.

ln testimony whereof I ailix my signa- 

